Scores of protesters have left Yerevan’s central avenue, shifting their anti-electricity hike rally to the Freedom Square, as the country’s PM urged those who stayed for “unknown political motives” to avoid anti-constitutional actions and provocations.

The organizers of the
‘No to Robbery!’ movement on Freedom Square have said that people
will stay there to decide on their next move and to avoid
confrontation with authorities after the deputy chief of Yerevan
Police, Colonel Valery Osipyan urged them to vacate Bagramyan
Avenue which they have been blocking for almost a week.

Only several hundred protesters remained in Bagramyan Avenue
overnight, with some of them trying to persuade those who left to
return and support their “common” goal. Those who
refused to return to Bagramyan Avenue however said, it was
important to find a “worthy way” to fight back without
getting drawn into adventurism, Armenia Today reported.

Speaking to the crowd earlier on Sunday, Osipyan said that police
will do “all that is necessary to restore public order,”
but stressed that for now authorities will not take any action
against the activists who have paralyzed the center of the
Armenian capital.

Osipyan said that police would certainly issue a prior warning if
they eventually decide to move in and clear the barricades. The
senior policeman also noted that there were some young
provocateurs among the protesters and called on politicians who
are siding with the activists to properly address these
potentially dangerous elements.

One protester from the crowd has already been detained after he
took to the stage and urged an armed rebellion against the
government.

“You don’t negotiate with viruses, you destroy them. In other
words through armed struggle,” the protester was quoted as
saying. As a result the young man was detained by the police for
inciting violence.

The PM said that their “real aim” is not to fight the price hike
on electricity, but to “destabilize the situation in the
country” and create “clashes among our citizens,”
to pursue “short sighted political aspirations.”

The intent to destabilize the situation is evident, according to
Abrahamyan, because demonstrators are continuing to protests,
despite President Serzh Sargsyan’s Saturday concessions.

“Confirming the readiness of the authorities to engage in
dialogue and work together, I once again call upon our fellow
citizens who continue to protest on Bagramyan to refrain from
unconstitutional actions and not to aggravate the
situation,” the PM said, as he urged the activist not to
provoke police.

On Saturday Armenian President Sargsyan promised that the
government would bear the burden of electricity price hikes,
pending an audit of how justified the tariff raise was its
consequences would be for the country’s economy.

Sargsyan said that the government would go ahead with the 16-per
cent hike in electricity prices due on August 1. However, he
promised that the government would temporarily compensate all
costs related to the price hikes until an international audit of
the Electric Networks of Armenia company.

“Annulling the tariff raise is extremely dangerous,” he
said. “If an audit confirms that the tariff raise is
justified, consumers will start paying according to a new
price.”